Emergency-brake for automobiles.



Nb. 870,228. PLTENI'ED NOY. 5, 1 907.

H. F. DIETZ.

EMERGENCY BRAKE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLIOATION rum) MAY 16; 1906.

n 25 o o 0' g 00 I 7 ,2/

Wim EssEs-; IA-"V'ENTOR lmsmza. QATBMED KW 5,3565? H. F. ,DIETZ.

EMERGENCY BRAKE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16-, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i M X5 WITNESSES: I IJVVENTOR 'nnirnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

" HERMAN F. DIETZ, OF LIVERPOOL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OF SYRACUS NEW YORK;

AN-THONYWILL,

EMERGENCY-BRAKEIFOR AUTOMOBILES. 4 I 1 1 To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN F. DIETZ. of Liverpool,- in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in "5. Emergency-Brakes for Automobiles, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying "drawings, is a full, clear, and exact descriptiofn This invention resides in a brake-mechanism which ismore particularly adapted for automobiles and is designed to be used cases of emergency to prevent accidents, incident to th s loss of control oifthe vehicle caused by the failure of the regular braking-devices to arrest the travel of the vehicle, especially while descending steep grades, which failure may be due to lack of power of the braking deVices orto the disorder or breakage of some part or parts thereof. It is well known to persons familiar with motor vehicles-that such conditions have been quite common and have in many instances caused accidents resulting in loss of life.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an emergency-brake which can be quickly and conveniently operated and shall positively arrest the travel of the vehicle when required, and thus prevent -such serious accidents.

i Furthermore, the object oithe invention isto provide a braking-mechanism which shall be simple, strong and durable in construction, reliable in its operation', and at the same time shall be neat and compact and also applicable to any well known style or make of motor-vehicle.

To that end the invention consists in the novel arrangement and combination oi the component parts of of the emergency-brake hereinafter. fully described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents'a side view of a portion of the running-gear of an auto mobile provided with my emergency-brake. and showing the parts in normal positions; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail side view showing the grip of a dragshoe moved into engagement with a wheel-tire; Fig. 3 is also an enlarged detail side view showing a drag-shoe carried under a wheel; Fig. lie an inverted plan view showing the grip of one mechanism moved into engagement with the tire; and Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line XX. r Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding part. i r I 11.denote the rear or driven-wheels of the autoinobile. and 2 is the axle thereof, upon which axle is. mounted the usual frame 3- for supporting the vehicle-body. I prefer to employ separate and independently operated braking mechanisms for the said rear wheels. and inasmuch as these mechanisms Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 16.21906- Serial ro.. 317,051.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907:

are identical both in construction andoperatiomd will proceed to describe only one of the same; v p z 4 denotes a transverse shaft secured rigidly to the underside of the frame 3- and disposed in front of the rear wheels, and on each-i end of said shaftfis,

journaled a roller 5-.

-6 represents a flexible band or. strip which I term pa drag-shoe and which may bec omposed of any suitable material such as strong rubberor leather, or it may be in the form of .a chain-belt; This shoe for band is firmly fastened at one end to the roller "is L normally wound upon said rollr r, and it is. of sni ficient width to effectually protect the fwheel-tire ','7 when it is dragged under the wheel as hereinafter explained.

The roller 5 is provided on its ends. with rigid.

collars s, s and its-hem 6n the shaft t-t a rigidly fastened at its inner end to the shaft 'or t' ranie,

3 and has its outer or. free end in the path oi the 'pin or stud 11-. This detent, by itsengage nent with said pin, serves to prevent accidental turning of the roller and resultant unwinding of the shoe or band, and being adapted to yield. itallows the roller to turn when 'draft is exerted on the shoe when the latter is carried under the wheel -].as will be shortly de scribed. v A To the-free end'of the flexible shoe i s'securelyffastened a grip or clamp 13 consisting of aspring-steel plate bent substantially U-shaped and adapted to'frictionally embrace the, rubber-tire f7' of the wheel. This grip is normally supported on afor k rig.- idly secured to or formed integral' with a crank-arm 15- on the outer end of a rock-shaft '-1'6fwhich is disposed back of and parallel withthejsh 4''a nd is journaled in suitable bearings ",.l7 said fork 14- is disposed below therolle is adapted to straddle the wheel-tire whenthe crankarm -15- is moved rearward. "The e'nds'of' theiorkmembers are formed with offsets l818' which are adapted to engage spring-catches 19'19'provided on the clamp or grip 13 and thereby snljipoit the said grip when the flexible shoe is woundupon the roller 5. These catches --1919are preferably formed by deflecting the end portions of the grip andcrimpin'g the said deflected portions asmore clearly shown in Fig. 4 and 5 of the drawings. To. th e inner end of the rock-shaft.l6"i is rigidlyseaforesaid grip or clamp 13.

cured at downwardly extending lever having its lower end pivotally connected to the rear end of alongitudinally disposed rod 21--- which is pivotally connected at its forward end to a suitably supported footlever 22 which may be arranged in any convenient position. To the lower end of said foot-lever 22 is connected one end of a spiral-spring 23- which has its opposite end fastened to the frame 3. spring serves to draw the'rod -21' forward when the lever --22 is released from the operators foot, and thereby move the fork away fronrthe wheel-tire,' in which position the said fork normally supports the In case it is found impossible to arrest the travel of the vehicle by applica tion of the usual brake-devices, the person in charge pushes the foot-lever 22, forward, by whichmovement the rod- -21 is shifted rearward and the rockshaft l6- actuated to cause the fork M' to swing rearwardly and upwardly to straddle the wheel-tire, whereby the spring-clamp or" grip 13 is forced onto the said tire. By effecting a secure hold of the grip on the tire, the said grip becomes disengaged'from the" fork 11 and is carried with the tire, whereby the flexible shoe or band 6- is unwound from the roller 5- and caused to drag under the wheel, and thus the motion of the-vehicle'is positively arrested. Upon removing the foot-from thelever 22- 'the aforesaid spiral-spring 23- throws the upper end of the lever rearward and at the same timedraws the rod -2l for-' ward, whereby the r'ockshaft -16- is actuated and I the crank-arm -15- caused to throw the fork -'14 forward to its normal position.-

i It will be understood that when the vehicle is brought torest, the operator reverses the usual power-transmission mechanism and starts the engine or motor so as to drive the vehicle rearward to carry the grip or clamp forward with, the wheel and thus permit the said grip to be removed from the tire. After removing the grip,

the roller 5- may be rotated by means of the handle 10, whereby the shoe iswound upon the roller.

, hen the shoe is thus wound upon the roller, it is prevented from accidentally unwinding by the engagee ment of the stud or pin 11 with the detent 1'2',

I whereupon the grip'may be readily attached to the offsets -1818 on the fork l4- in which position it is normally carried.

It is obvious that by equipping an automobile with the described emergency-brake, it can be quickly stopped when required and thus avert serious acci dents. In case the brake is applied while the vehicle is descending a steep grade, the wheels may be blocked by any suitable object after the vehicle has been propelled rearward to carry the wheel off from the shoe, and thus permitthe latter to be wound. upon the roller and the grip to be placed on its support. If it is found that one of the described braking-mechanisms is in- Capable of holding the vehicle, as in descending an exremely steep grade, the operator may employ both mechanisms. v

.While I prefer to employ two separate and independently operated brake-mechanisms, at the same time I wish it to be understood that these mechanisms may;

be arranged to operate as one to carry both of'the, grips into operative positions, in which instance ohly one rock-shaft and one foot-lever are required.

This

i-ied by said support, and. clamping means carried by'the 'tions thereunder.

The' described roller, shoe and grip'are protected from dirt &c. by the guard 24- and a supplemental 1 guard 25-.

What I claim is 1. A vehicle brake, a support, a flexible connection carflexible connection adapted to engage the wheel oft-he vehicle and draw said flexible connection thereunder.

. 2. A vehicle brake. a drum, a flexible connection wound thereabout, 'aclamping shoe attached to the flexible 'con nection, and means for forcing said shoe into engagement with the vehicle 'wheeh acting to draw said flexible connection thereunder.

3. A vehicle brake, a shaft, flexible connections sup-'- ported by said shaft and adapted to be wound thereabout, and clampins' means carried by said flexible connections designed to engage the wheels of the vehicle when thrown in contact therewith, acting to draw said flexible connec- Jl. In a vehicle. the combination with a wheel having; a

wheel, of an 9Dl8lgDC Y-bl':ll(e comprising a flexible band rigidly fastened at one end to said support, a grip secured to theother end of the band and normally sustained out of contact with the tire, and means for forcing the grip onto 'the tire whereby the. said grip is carried under the wheel and backof its bearing upon the ground so as to cause the band to be dragged under the tire as set forth.

5; In a vehicle having rubber-tired wheels, the combination with a frame, anemergenc y-brake comprisinggaflexible band suitably fastened at one end to the frame, a grip securely fastened to the other'end of the band and consisting of a curved spring plate adapted to engage .a wheel-tire;

amovable support' n'ormally sustaining the grip outof contact with the tire,manuallypperatedmeans for moving said support toforce the grip onto the tire whereby the grip is carriedtherewith to drag the flexible band under the tire, and spring-actuated means automatically moving the grip-support to its normalposition as set forth.

6, In a vehicle having. rub er-tired wheels, thecomblnation with the runninggear frame and a rear wheel, of an emergency-brake comprising a flexible-hand suitably con nected at one end to the frame and'provided at its other end with a grip adapted to engage the wheel-tire, an arm pivotally connected to the frame'in front of the wheel andnormally supporting the grip out of contact with the wheels tire, manually operated means for swinging said arm toward the wheel to force the grip onto the tire, whereby the said grip is carried with the wheel back of its bearln upon the ground so as to drag the flexible band under the tire, and 'a spring operative, for swinging the aforesaid arm to its normal position as set forth.'

tion with the running-gear frame and a rear wheel, of an emergency-brake comprising a flexible'band firmly fastened atone end to the frame and provided at its-other end with a U shaped grip adapted to engage the wheel-tire, a movable forked-member connected to the frame and normally supporting the grip out of contact with the tire and adapted to straddle the tire, a I manually-operated lever for moving said forkedmem'ber toward the wheel to force the grip onto the tire whereby the grip is carried with the tire to drag the band thereunder, and a springoperative for movingthe forkedmiember to its normal position as set forth.

8. In combination with a vehicle having rubber-tired wheels, an cmergencybrake comprising a transverse roller suitably journaled in front of a wheel, a flexible band connected atone end to the roller and normally wound there on. and provided at its other end with a grip consisting of a U-shaped spring-plate adapted to engage the wheel-tire and provided with spring-catches, a suitably supported transverse rock-shaft disposed back of said roller,'an arm fastened at one end to the rock-shaft and provided on its free end portion with means for engaging said spring- I. n1 :1 vehicle having rubber-tired wheels, the cornbinarubbei tire. and a suitahle'support disposed in front of the connected to the foot-lever and serving to swing the arm wheels, an emergency-brake comprising a rigid transverse shaft supported in front of the rear-wheels. a roller jour- -foot-lever connected to.' the rock-shaft and operative for with to drag the flexible band under the tire, and a spring operative for automatically swinging the arm to its normal position as set forth.

9. In combination with a vehicle having rubber-tired naled on the shaft adjacent to one of the wheels, a horrible band securely fastened at one end to the roller and normally wound thereon, a grip fastened to the other end of the band and consisting of a U-shaped spring-plate adapted to engage the wheel-tire and having its ends bent lo form *atches, a rock-shaft supported back of the rollersl1aft, an arm fastened at one end to the rock-shaft and provided on its free end with a fork having its members terminating in oltsets to receive the catches on the grip to normally snpport the latter out of contact with the wheel-tire. a

swinging thesaid arm toward the wheel to cause the forkmembers to straddle the wheel-tire and thereby forcethe grip onto the tire, whereby the said grip is carried with the tire to drag the flexible band thereunder, anda spring to its normal position as set forth.

10. In combination with a vehicle having rubber-tired wheels, an emergency-brake comprising a transverseroller suitably vjournaled in front of a wheel, a drag-shoe consisting of a flexible band connected at one end to the roller and normally wound thereon and provided at its opposite end. with a grip normally supported in front of the Wheel and below the roller, :1 spring retaining the grip out of contact with the wheel-tire when it is in its normal position, a yielding detent serving to prevent accidental unwinding of the drag-shoe from the roller; and a lever for moving thegrip-support toward the wheel-tire whereby me said grip is caused to engage-the tire and carry the shoe under the wheel as set forth.

11. In combination with a vehicle having rubbertired wheels, an emergency-brake comprising a drag shoe com-- posed of a flexible band having a suitable rigid fastening at one end and provided at its opposite end with a grip consisting of a curved spring-plate adapted'to engage the wheel-tire and thereby carry the shoe under the wheel, a a

forked crank-arm normally supporting said grip o'utof 0011-:

tact with the wheel-tire, means for moving the crank-arm tow'ard thetir'e to force the grip thereon, and a suitably arranged spring operative for moving the crank-arm'toits normal position as set forth. v

12. In combination with a vehicle having rubber-tired wheels, an einergency-brake comprising a drag-shoe coin" and provided with a fork adapted to straddle the tire, said fork terminating in offsets on which the said grip is nor- "mally supported, means for, turning .the'ro ck-shaft in one direction to force the grip onto the tireyvvheltehy the said shoe is carried under the wheel, and a spring on turning the rock-shaft in reverse direction to move the fork to its normal position as set forth.

.I. J. LAAss, L. H. FULMER. I 

